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Audio Research discontinuing lower lines components?

I have looked at several components in Audio Research's line and they are discontinuing the LS17-se, PH8, and PH6.  They discontinued the DAC 8.  I know there is a new Ref 6 to replace the Ref 5se and their is a new Ref Phono 3 to replace the Ref Phone 2se coming out.  I talked to my dealer and he stated that Audio Research seems to be making their components look more McIntosh like in the Galeo series. 

The dealer stated their isn't going to be anything that he has heard that will replace the other lines at this point and that AR will be starting at the LS-27, which is $7500 for preamps.  The Ref 75se is the beginning of the line for Amps, which I know, but man are they going the Mac route with prices, nothing to replace the DAC 8 and the other DAC in the line is $11,000, what's up with this, have you guys heard anything more. 

The starting point for AR equipment is getting pretty high and the only way a newer person without means will be able to afford it will be to buy use, which could send the used prices up if there isn't anything else in the line.  What do you guys think and what have you heard?
sid1
jamnesta
155 posts
 
McIntosh & Sonus Faber have new entries in the "Lifestyle" category, equally decried by their devotees as diluting the brand, so who really knows what the future will bring for ARC?
theo's avatar
theo
2,655 posts
 

I think the one point that needs to be considered, is that maybe they aren't selling enough of the lower end product to justify keeping them in production. A good example is, or least last I heard, that Vandersteen would like to discontinue older designs such as the 1,2,3 series, but he continues to get so many orders that he continues to offer them. As with ARC, maybe they don't get enough orders to financially satisfy the "bean counters" at Fine Sounds to either produce or update and therefor must let them go. Which may indicate that McIntosh may be forced to trim their line up as well.

All of course just my point of view not representative of any insider information from ARc or Fine Sounds.

One thing for sure, I will continue to buy when budget permits.

chris_launder
66 posts
 
Back in the 1980's , when I first started buying ARC gear , there wasn't the plethoria of options there are now , you had the SP8 & SP10 for preamps and 3 or 4 power amps and that was it . In 1983 the Australian dollar retail for an SP8 was $3,300 , that's an enormous amount of money in inflation adjusted terms , probably close to $25,000 today , and for that money you can get an LS27/SP8 combo which is a far superior product in every way . I admit I'm not a big fan of the Galileo type styling , but I'm probably old , boring and long for the good old days of the golden era of HiFi , but the Ref75Se , which is their new entry level power amp , will probably walk all over a D70 Mk2 , which again , in inflation adjusted terms , was probably more expensive , there is hope yet !
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fsmithjack
712 posts
 
ARC is overrated anyways. Plenty of great stuff that can be had for much less...
taters
1,149 posts
 
"ARC is overrated anyways. Plenty of great stuff that can be had for much less"

You could say the same thing about most of these high-end companies.

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